Gorgeous Ways to Use Glass and Mirrors in the Bedroom

The benefits of using glass and mirrors in your décor are well-documented. You can find numerous ideas of how to use both in the bathroom, and you should definitely incorporate the materials into that space. The bedroom is another area that can benefit from the use of glass and mirrors. Below are a few ideas of how to creatively use custom glass or mirrors in the bedroom.

Custom Mirror Wardrobe DoorsUsing mirrors for wardrobe doors is not a new concept. You can have mirror panels attached to your existing doors or replace the doors with already mirrored ones. You can also customize the mirrors to augment your existing décor. For instance, you can choose mirrored panes instead of plain panels. The additional frames within the panels add extra visual interest with mod-style patterning.

Sliding Glass Wardrobe DoorsMost homeowners don't think of using glass for their wardrobe or closet doors since you usually want to keep the interior hidden. However, not all glass is transparent. You can choose frosted, smoked, or otherwise colored glass for your door panels.

Imagine a door made of opaque white glass. Your closet's interior will be hidden, but the white coloration as well as the light reflection will still create an open feel to your bedroom design.

Glass or Mirror Privacy ScreenIn that vein, open floor plans are very popular in contemporary home design. This style of plan even finds its way into the bedroom. You may have an oversized space that also accommodates other activities, such as exercise or office duties. Yet you need privacy for sleeping. Designers often recommend glass or mirror privacy screens to delineate the sleeping area.

As with the closet doors, you can choose opaque glass or mirrors for full privacy. An added benefit if you choose mirrors is you have that much more reflection for checking your appearance - naturally, the mirror should be aimed out from the bed. That said, you can also choose clear glass if the main goal is quiet. Some homeowners have sliding glass to open their space back up.

Glass Transition Between the Bedroom and Bathroom

With an open floor plan idea, many designers try keep the area between the master bedroom and bathroom as open as possible. Indeed, one of the current trends is to use a glass wall between the two rooms. Sometimes these walls are opaque, but many times designers use transparent glass.

If that construction doesn't afford you enough privacy, you can still incorporate glass with your standard walls. For example, you could have a glass half-wall that hides the bottom half of the bathroom but lets light flow through the top. Conversely, you could incorporate glass blocks into the transition between the two rooms, which gives both light reflection and privacy.

Sliding Glass Entrance DoorThe entrance door to your bedroom can also be replaced with a glass one. Here's a space you certainly want to choose one of the opaque options for privacy, though you could attach blinds to the door that can drop when needed.

One way to update this idea is to replace a hinged door with a sliding version. Called a pocket door, such a construction affords you more space since you don't need the clearance for opening the door. Pocket doors slide into the wall, so you don't even have to sacrifice wall space.

Light Reflection for PlantsMirrors reflect light, and many people use that quality to illuminate dark corners of their homes. You can also use that quality to encourage lush plant life in the bedroom.

For this idea, you'll need to choose the mirror first and experiment with angles for reflecting the light. You'll probably want to move both the mirror and the plants around to discover the best setup. The benefit is, though, that you can create tableau with lush plants.

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09.12.2018

How to Effectively Use Glass in a Home Office

The properties of glass make it a useful addition to a home office. Glass is strong, durable, transparent or opaque, and easy to clean and maintain. One of the properties of glass that make it so desirable is that it naturally transmits, reflects, and refracts light.

Here are some ways that you can incorporate glass into a home office.

Glass Desk

A glass desk or glass-topped desk is an ideal work surface. Commercially available desks are usually made of wood, metal, or plastic laminate.

For a stronger and more durable desk than the commercially available models, you can top it with a sheet of heavy-gauge glass. You can attach this glass top by drilling it and securing it to the desk with stainless steel bolts and nuts on the edges and corners.

The glass surface is impervious to stains and is pressure and breakage resistant. To clean this glass, wipe it with a soft cloth moistened with water and without soap or cleaning fluid. Once dry, polish the glass surface with another soft cloth to remove water spots.

Glass Office Door

You can improve the available light and space within a small home office with a glass door. A glass door can give the illusion of more space as it makes the room appear larger, more comfortable, and more natural.

In addition to a standard door on hinges, today's office doors are available in several styles.

Glass Pocket Doors

Pocket doors are often used for a home office because they are compact. One advantage of a pocket door is that it is completely out of view when open.

Glass Barn Doors

Barn doors are hung with metal hangers connected to wheels that roll along a steel rail mounted above the door opening. This barn door mechanism allows you to slide the door along a wall without opening it into the office or adjacent room or hallway.

Glass French Doors

Glass French doors are built with small glass panes separated by wood frames. Because most of a French door is made of glass, the door allows a maximum amount of ambient light to enter.

Glass Room Dividers

To enlarge the look and feel of your home office, use glass room dividers to separate it from other rooms. Glass room dividers can be made of sheet glass or glass blocks.

Sheet Glass Room Dividers

Sheet glass room dividers function much the same as glass shower or tub enclosures. These room dividers are bolted to load-bearing walls or hung from the ceiling. For interest and design, glass room dividers can be color tinted or etched with designs and patterns.

Glass Block Wall

A glass block wall is made of stacked glass blocks that allow a maximum amount of exterior light to enter. These blocks can be installed from the floor to the ceiling or mounted on the top of a low interior wall.

Glass Cabinets and Cupboards

For an elegant look, you can store your office files, supplies, and materials in cabinets and cupboards with glass doors. Glass cabinets and cupboards can have clear, frosted, or patterned doors to offer a variety of privacy options.

If you have products and work samples in your home office that you would like to showcase, you can display them behind clear glass doors. If you have mainly files and paperwork in your home office, you can use heavily patterned or frosted glass doors to keep them out of view.

When glass elements are used in a home office, they can lighten and brighten the room. To discover how glass can improve your home office, contact Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc. We have the experience and expertise to design and install custom glass elements that can make your home office a joy to work in every day.

Do You Need to Repair or Replace Your Shower?

An enclosed shower makes a wonderful addition to your home. It gives you a place to shower comfortably and adds just a hint of luxury and elegance to any home.

With that said, though, even the best showers won't last forever. Problems with the tile, the glass doors, or other issues often pop up over time. If you've had your shower for awhile, make sure you are aware of the warning signs that it may be time for a new shower or at least for some maintenance and updates.

Your Shower Doors Don't Open and Close Easily

One of the big indicators that you may need to look into redoing your shower, or at least your shower doors, is if you notice that your doors aren't opening and closing smoothly and easily.

This issue most often occurs with sliding shower doors, but it can occur with any type of door. The problem could be something simple, like a door that's gotten off track, or it could be more serious, like a warped frame. In any case, you'll want to have a professional take a look to figure out what is causing the issue.Your Doors Are Experiencing Cracking, Chipping, and Other Glass Damage

If you have glass shower doors, you should be checking them regularly for chips, knicks, cracks, and other damage.

Even small cracks or crevices, which may not seem like a big deal, can expand over time. This is especially true in a bathroom where heat and moisture are always rising and falling, causing the glass to expand and contract over and over again.

If you don't address this problem quickly, it could cause your glass doors to shatter, which could be both dangerous and costly to repair. Fortunately, professionals can assess the severity of the problem and provide you with advice on what to do next, whether that means repairing your current glass or opting for new glass doors.

Your Tiles Are Severely Stained

Over time, shower tiles can get stained due to constant exposure to water. This is especially true if they are not cleaned regularly or if the wrong kind of cleaner is used on the tiles, thus eroding their protective exterior.

While some stains can be cleaned, very stained tiles can be impossible to restore to their former glory. If you've tried everything but can't get your tiles to look like new again, it may be time to replace them or even to redo your entire shower for a fresh, new look.You Spot Rust

Many showers consist of metal, tile, and glass construction. The metal, unfortunately, is often the first part to go, which is why many professionals are advising against using metal in newer shower installations.

If you do currently have metal in your shower design, though, check it carefully for signs of wear and tear, especially rust. Rust will only get worse with time and can seriously impact the beauty of your shower. The only way to stop rust in its tracks is to replace your shower or at least the metal parts.

As you can see, your shower will often let you know when something isn't quite right. The key is just to know what warning signs to look for and then to take action as soon as you spot any of these signs. Whether you decide to repair your shower, if applicable, or to replace with a newer, more modern, more beautiful, shower, the experts at Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc. can help. Be sure to get in touch with them for all of your shower and glass-related needs.

4 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Patio Door

Patio doors are an excellent way to bring in natural light into a room, connect your interior and exterior spaces, and add aesthetic appeal to your house. From bi-fold doors to sliding doors, French to hinged doors, and energy-efficient to UV-layered, selecting the right door for your patio can be overwhelming.

Here's a quick guide to help you choose a patio door that you can be proud of for many years later.

1. Think About the Style That Fits Your Home

There are different types of patio doors, and your choice will depend on the needs of your home. Common patio doors include French, bi-fold, and sliding doors, but these are not your only options. Others include pivot, hinged, corner, and pocket doors.

A French patio door is a two-door system with each door moving in the opposite direction. This type of door is suitable for smaller homes and condominiums and is an excellent choice for letting plenty of light into a room.

A cousin of the French patio door, the bi-fold door consists of at least three units that slide on a track and fold together on a single frame. The bi-fold door opens up more than other types of patio doors and can provide a remarkable connection between your home and garden.

Sliding doors come with sideways-gliding panels that pile up at the end of a frame. These doors offer great space-spacing and energy efficiency benefits when you install them correctly. A pocket door is a type of sliding door where the door is built into and slides into the wall to completely open up the indoors to the patio.

2. Consider Functionality and Utility

In addition to design considerations, you also need to think about the function of your patio door and how it fits into your home's layout. Factors such as the location of the patio door, the size and ambiance of your outdoor space, and how you would like the indoors to connect with the outside space will impact your choice.

You also want to consider how often you use the patio. If you use it frequently, the durability of the door is an important consideration. Does the door face the sun? If so, you will need to look into options such as double-pane, energy-efficient, and UV-protected glass doors.

3. Pay Close To Attention Energy Efficiency

Glass doors are stylish and can also help to cut energy costs. Choose doors made from tempered glass, which is durable, safe and offers thermoregulation benefits by keeping your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Another option is low-E glass, which has an invisible metallic layer that retains heat in colder months and keeps the heat out in the summer.

Find doors that meet the Energy Star standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. These types of doors deliver higher thermal performance, allowing you to make significant annual savings on heating and cooling costs.

4. Select Custom Additions to Glass Doors

What's unique and exceptional about glass doors is their versatility. Depending on your style preferences, you can customize the look of your glass doors by adding double panels, using decorative glass with complementing side panes, or using weather-resistant glass.

To give your doors a pop of style, you can choose different colors for the paneling, add grids, or embellish with materials such as brass.

Installing a patio door or replacing an old one is a significant home renovation investment. There is a lot involved in selecting the perfect patio door, and you should work with a professional for guidance.

At Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc., our skilled professionals will help you choose and install a patio door that will transform your home into a beautiful oasis. Contact us for an initial consultation and free estimates.

How to Design a Wet Room for Your Bathroom

If you have the space in your master bathroom, a wet room could be an ideal setup. A wet room is simply a soaking tub next to a shower. A wall, typically made of glass, keeps the wet room separate from the rest of the room. Such a setup lets you keep the majority of your wet area in one enclosed space - hence the name.

Shower Stall Design

The hardest working part of your wet room will be your shower stall since you'll be using it every day. The design should be similar to the layout for a doorless or curbless shower. In this case, you'll have a tile floor that slants down to the drain. You can have any type of shower head, including a spa panel, but make sure to direct the sprays so that they don't escape the enclosure.

Typically, there's no delineation between the shower space and the soaking tub since excess moisture won't damage the latter. However, if you do want to delineate the space, consider a glass wall. One goal of a wet room is to keep the space open-looking, so you don't want to close off the shower with an opaque wall.

Soaking Tub Selection

Your selection of the soaking tub will be one of the big style choices you make for your wet room. Most wet rooms feature a freestanding bathtub, usually in the classic white porcelain. This choice keeps the overall look of the room neat. However, there's nothing to preclude you from having a tub surround added or choosing another style of soaking tub.

One of the most popular choices in soaking tubs is the copper variety, which adds a touch of color to your wet room. According to Better Homes and Gardens, adding a polished iron exterior to a soaking tub gives it a distinctly French flair. Japanese soaking tubs, often made of wood, are another stylish option.

Tub Filler Choices

Your choice of tub filler is another important consideration. Your three choices are floor-mount, wallmount, or tub-mount fillers. The placement of the tub and whether you include a surround will largely drive your choice.

Tub fillers also come in a variety of finishes, usually metallics including gold, stainless steel, and bronze. If you want a traditional look, consider gold. Bronze tends to be more historical looking, while stainless steel feels modern. The shape of the filler also ranges from historical to ultra-modern.

Glass Wall Options

While it's possible to enclose your wet room in standard walls, the vast majority have a glass enclosure. The contractors will have to use the same heavy grade of glass they use for frameless glass shower enclosures. Manufacturers temper the glass for safety purposes, and the heavy grade ensures structural integrity. The contractors use hidden fasteners to install the wall.

If you have the space, your wet room can be left doorless. This setup allows for a seamless look to your wet room. However, if there's a chance water could spray out of the room, you'll want to include a door. Usually, wet rooms feature hinged doors, again similar to frameless glass shower enclosures.

Homeowners usually choose clear glass for their wet room enclosure. In fact, some upgrade to the low-iron glass that eliminates any green undertones for a truly crystal clear effect. Conversely, you may prefer privacy in your wet room.

Options for privacy include frosted or etched glass. The frosting or etching can give you anything from a barely opaque to fully opaque coverage. You can choose repeating patterns or pictures. It's even possible to have layers of glass that create a three-dimensional picture.

Wet rooms have many advantages, including being easy to clean and a good utilization of space. If you want to enclose a wet area behind glass, visit Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc. to discuss your design plan.

Make Your Busy Home Easier To Maintain With Glass Additions

As the head of the family, you may have a lot of work to do inside the home. Living in a home with two adults, several children, and a few pets means that plenty of messes will be made.

If you want to reduce the total upkeep, you should find ways to make things easier to clean. While you could hire house cleaners, this would require routine spending. Also, you could buy a robot vacuum, but this only takes over a small portion of your cleaning responsibilities. You should consider glass additions as a method to minimize maintenance around the house.

Front Entryway

An excellent example is the front entryway. If you have a solid shoe rack made of wood, you may find that the wood surface gets dirty easily and ends up with water stains from rainy days. While a metal shoe rack can help, the dirt and water will then reach the flooring beneath. An ideal solution is to invest in glass shelves for the shoe rack and avoid these cleaning complications.

If you can replace the shelves on your current shoe rack, you will have minimal work to do. An alternative is to build your own wood shoe rack and then put in glass shelves instead. You will need to shop for glass shelf brackets to make sure each glass piece is fully secure.

Kitchen

The kitchen is often the hardest room to keep clean because you use it all the time. When you are using the stovetop, you may find it easy for liquids to splash around the area. This can lead to the back wall, countertop, and nearby appliances getting dirty and possibly staining.

If you do not have a backsplash, you should consider adding a glass sheet as one. You can paint the back wall in a unique color, and then put clear glass on it to enhance the kitchen's look. But the primary benefit is that you will have an easier time cleaning the whole back wall.

Whether you are boiling water, rinsing vegetables, or using the countertop, any spill or splash that happens to touch the backsplash will not be difficult to clean. All you need to do is take a sponge, paper towel, or hand towel and wipe away the spill. You also do not have to worry about potential staining because glass is not porous - it will not absorb any liquids.

Another benefit of sheet glass over a different option, like a glass tile backsplash, is that you will not have seams that pick up extra dirt and grime. These little grooves take more effort to clean and would require you to clean each individual tile as opposed to just using a sweeping motion.

Living Room

Because your whole family spends time in the living room, you should also focus on it to minimize upkeep. The television stand, coffee table, and side tables are the best things to work on. If they are made of wood, then you can add glass tops to them to prevent all sorts of problems.

Not only will cleaning become easier, but you can avoid serious wood damage. White rings can develop on wood when water touches the surface and is allowed to sit for a long time. When the rings become a dark stain, you no longer have a simple option for removing the stain. So you should measure all these furniture pieces and get custom glass pieces that fit on top perfectly.

If you have any questions about glass or want to start putting in custom glass orders, contact us at Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc. today.

Storefront Glass: 3 Ways To Avoid Unnecessary Damage

As a business owner, you are constantly concerned with the way your storefront looks to those from the outside looking in. With glass being one of the more expensive options, you are also concerned with repairing and/or replacing your storefront as a result of damage. So, what can you do to prevent damage to your storefront glass?

1. Apply Graffiti Film to Your Windows

As a business owner, it is imperative that you keep your storefront clean and free from anything that could damage your reputation. This includes graffiti, which is something that occurs quite frequently throughout the state of California. While it is more popular in bigger cities, such as Los Angeles, where the city spent millions of dollars cleaning up 32 million square feet of vandalism in 2014, it doesn't mean that vandals won't try to vandalize your storefront in Antioch.

If your storefront is vandalized, it isn't cheap to replace the windows. Each time someone decides to leave their mark on your glass, it will cost you immensely. Eventually, it could come to the point that you have to shut down your business because you simply cannot afford to stay open.

Luckily, you have options. There is a way to effectively protect the glass from etching as well as paint. All you need to do is apply graffiti film to the exterior of the glass. It is clear, so it is not visible to anyone, yet it is thick enough that it will protect the glass from permanent damage.

In the event that an irresponsible individual wants to paint on or etch the glass, the graffiti film simply needs to be replaced for a fraction of the cost of what it would be to replace the glass.

2. Install a Windbreak to Protect from High Winds

When it gets windy in California, a door can quickly get away from you. When this happens with one of your customers, the door can go flying out of their hands and bang right into the side of the building. Depending on the design of the property, the door could slam right into a glass window. In some cases, the window could crack or break and shatter.

This is the last thing that you want or need as a business owner. Luckily, there is something that you can do to prevent damage to your glass windows around your doors from happening due to high winds. All you need is something called a windbreak. This is installed on your door and provides more structural stability to the door's resistance so that the wind isn't capable of pulling it as easily.

As a result, the door will not open as far as it normally would, which ensures that the glass window behind it or next to it is not damaged.

3. Keep Up with Glass Door Maintenance

Maintenance is key with everything, including your glass doors. Entryway doors need to be inspected at least once annually for a number of things.

If you have a revolving door, make sure that you check for resistance and speed, as you don't want your customers forcing the door along because this could result in the door breaking (including the glass if too much force is applied). Certain parts of the door should be lubricated, and moving parts need to be carefully checked to ensure that they are properly functioning.

Many of the same things need to be done to other types of doors, including the adjusting of hardware, lubrication of moving parts, and making certain that the moving parts of the door are properly working.

Regardless of the type of door, the glass needs to be checked to ensure that there are no chips or cracks. If there are, they need to be repaired so that they do not worsen. If the damage is beyond repair, the glass needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Whether you are opening a new business and are interested in a glass storefront for aesthetic appeal or you need your storefront glass repaired, contact the professionals at Concord Glass.

Which Shower Enclosure Is Right for Your Bathroom?

Walk-in showers are becoming more popular. Homeowners are doing away with the traditional shower and tub combination in favor of a walk-in shower and separate soaking tub — or no tub at all. This trend might change how you approach your bathing enclosure since a simple shower curtain is no longer sufficient.You have many options in how to enclose your walk-in shower, and many of these options have at least some beautiful glass. As you remodel your bathroom or have one built, consider how much glass you want along with how much space you have for the walk-in shower.

Glass DoorOne option for installing a walk-in shower is with a traditional enclosure. This could be a prefabricated acrylic shell or a custom enclosure lined in ceramic tile, natural stone, or even glass tile. According to HGTV, tile is the most economical of the custom materials.If the enclosure consists of three sides, all you need to finish it is a glass door. You can choose a sliding glass door if the stall is wide enough. However, hinged glass doors are more common. All shower glass is tempered in the very rare case that the glass breaks.A glass door and custom surround is good if you want to show off the tile work or incorporate beautiful natural stone in your bathroom design.

Framed Glass EnclosureThe most common type of glass shower enclosure is the framed variety. Contractors use lightweight tempered glass framed with metal. The metal framework holds the enclosure together and affixes it to the wall.With a framed glass enclosure, you can choose between a sliding and swinging glass door. Likewise, you can choose to minimize or maximize the profile of the metal frame by what gauge and color you choose.One disadvantage of framed glass is that it can impede the sightline in your bathroom. However, a framed enclosure is the most budget-friendly of the all-glass enclosures. Likewise, the framework makes the enclosure completely waterproof, which is ideal if space is limited.

Frameless Shower EnclosureA frameless glass shower enclosure consists of a heavy grade of glass, which is necessary because there's no metal framework to offer stability. Instead, the enclosure is held together with discreet hardware.With frameless enclosures, contractors typically only use a hinged door. Likewise, some homeowners choose to upgrade to an ultra-clear glass.Because of the materials and fine labor, frameless glass enclosures carry a higher price tag. They're also not as watertight, so spray can be an issue in smaller bathrooms. However, these enclosures offer an almost invisible sightline, especially if you upgrade to ultra-clear glass.

Glass WallsA similar construction to the frameless glass shower is to have glass walls installed. Contractors use the heavier grade of glass to erect the walls around the shower. However, the doorway is left open, meaning there's no door to close off the enclosure.Glass walls are common for wet rooms, meaning a shower stall that's large enough to accommodate bench seating and even a soaking tub. Likewise, if you want to accommodate multiple showerheads for two bathers, glass walls make an attractive enclosure.A door-less glass enclosure only makes sense if you have a large enough bathing area. However, the construction can give your bathroom a spa-like feel, especially when the seating and soaking tub are included in the wet room.Whether you choose a simple glass door or an expansive door-less construction, your shower enclosure will become a beautiful centerpiece of your bathroom. Talk to the experts at Concord Glass about which shower enclosure will work best with your plans.

6 Ways To Add Glass To Your Bathroom

Natural light is a boon in any room. Sunlight makes space feel bright and open. It can be tricky getting enough sunlight in the bathroom, though, because of privacy issues.

Therefore, you have to maximize the natural light you do get. That's where glass comes in — it essentially sends light back into the room.

Besides light reflection, there are other benefits to adding glass to your bathroom. First, it's a non-porous surface, making it naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. Non-porous surfaces are also easier to clean. Likewise, transparent glass doesn't impede sight lines, giving your bathroom an open feel. This can even make a small bathroom feel larger.

Add glass features like the following to your bathroom to reap these benefits.

Shower Enclosure

The most obvious place to add glass is with your shower enclosure. Glass shower enclosures can either be prefabricated or custom-built, with the former being more budget-friendly.

Likewise, you can choose between framed and frameless. With framed enclosures, contractors use panels rimmed in metal, which serves as the fastening method. With frameless enclosures, the contractors use heavy-duty glass and receding pivots in construction.

Glass enclosures are for walk-in showers. If you have a shower and tub combo, you can still add a sliding glass door in lieu of a curtain.

Glass Wall

While an open-plan design creates an airy appeal, a bathroom is still space where you want some privacy. Instead of having a partial wall built between sections of the bathroom, consider having one constructed of glass. You can choose frosted or etched glass in an opacity level that gives you privacy. The glass still reflects natural light, maintaining that airy ambiance.

If you have a big enough shower section, glass walls can be utilized instead of a full enclosure. It's just necessary to have a stall with enough area to prevent water splashing into the bathroom proper. Glass walls are also beautiful for creating a wet room, which consists of a stand-up shower and freestanding bathtub.

Cabinet Fronts

Replacing wood panels with glass is popular in kitchens. There's no reason you can't bring that trend into the bathroom. Glass and mirrored medicine cabinets are already common. Consider replacing the rest of your cabinet doors with glass. If you want to keep the cabinet contents private, you could choose frosted glass or mirrored panels.

Shelves

Speaking of storage options, many bathrooms feature shelving. Again, consider replacing wood with glass. If you don't have any shelving in your bathroom, think about adding a selection of glass shelves. These can be an ideal space for putting décor items. Such shelves will also give your bathroom a modern vibe.

Because glass is easy to clean, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up spills from soaps, shampoos or lotions that you might store on the shelves.

Mirrors

You need a mirror in the bathroom, obviously. Many homeowners make do with the one attached to their medicine cabinet, but you can have this installation custom-made to extend the mirror.

Likewise, consider hanging another mirror elsewhere in the bathroom. Place it strategically so it captures the natural light and reflects it back into the room. This also gives you another option for checking your appearance in the bathroom.

Vanity

Stone and stone-look materials are still popular for vanities; however, glass vanities make for a chic, ultra-modern look. Glass is especially ideal because it's not susceptible to mold or mildew.

It's even possible to have your sink made out of glass, such as a glass vessel sink. However, some designers are using heavy-duty glass to make a sink and vanity-top combination.

Utilize the reflective and transparent properties of glass to create a bright, contemporary atmosphere in your bathroom. Talk to the experts at Concord Glass about ways to add glass to your bathroom.

Auto Glass Services

Did you know that your vehicle’s windshield is considered a vital structural component? The glass is designed to be part of the reinforcement to the form of your car or truck, so if you have a crack or chip in the glass the integrity of the car’s form is compromised. It is highly dangerous to ignore a damaged windshield in your car. We know that there are many companies who provide mobile service but at Antioch Glass we feel that these companies are not providing a complete service to you. Consider the services we provide in our automotive glass shop:

We inspect the glass and the surrounding area to make sure the replacement will have a tight seal.

We remove the door panel, if needed, to remove the glass that fell inside the door.

We vacuum all glass particles and debris from the car.

We professionally install the glass and create a new seal around the glass.

We can replace any power window parts if needed.

Antioch Glass will not compromise on your safety when it comes to glass replacement. Our customers are our priority and we are glad to take the time to explain the process or to provide information about insurance claims with you. Contact our representatives today.

Five Great Ways to Clean Glass in Your Home

Glass can add beauty and glamor to your home. Unfortunately, improper cleaning techniques can leave streaks, making your glass seem dirty and unwashed. Here are some great ways you can clean your glass to keep it looking spectacular.

Keep Solution Simple

The cleaning solution for your glass does not need to be complicated. You may use soap and water, vinegar and water or commercial glass detergent.

Avoid Lint

Using a paper towel or cloth that is lint free can help you avoid getting pieces of the lint stuck to your glass. This can ensure that the glass will look its best.

Clean Windows from Top to Bottom

As you wash the windows, the solution will streak down to the bottom. By cleaning from top to bottom, you can avoid the solution dripping from the top and getting on the part you have already cleaned.

Avoid Direct Sunlight

Glass that dries faster tends to streak more easily. By cleaning during times when the sun is not beating down on your windows, the glass can dry more slowly, thereby potentially minimizing streaks.

Cleaning Tougher Substances

You may get splatters on your bathroom mirror or residue from a spilled drink on your glass table. A cotton pad with some rubbing alcohol usually works best for those types of stains.

Getting the gorgeous glass you desire may be possible with these five simple and effective techniques. Contact Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090 to learn more about how to clean your glass.

How to Choose the Right Cabinet Glass for Your Home

Adding glass to your home’s cabinets is a beautiful way to create aesthetic appeal. It can even be more convenient to see what’s in the cabinet before you even open it. Several types of glass are available, so you must consider a few things before you decide.

Your Level of Organization

Are your cabinets typically very organized or do you just toss things in where you can find room? If you don’t want to spend the time to keep things looking presentable every day, consider a textured or frosted glass that adds interest but isn’t easy to see through.

Your Privacy Preferences

How private of a person are you? If you use glass cabinet fronts, everyone who comes to your home will know what your dishes look like and what type of groceries you purchase. While they won’t necessarily be able to tell which brand of cereal you purchase, they will certainly notice if you have 14 boxes of cookies in the cabinet.

The Style of Glass

Glass is available in a range of styles. Traditional glass makes it easy to display beautiful china or other pieces that you love but still want to keep safe in a cabinet. Seeded glass is a chic way to add a slightly vintage vibe to your otherwise modern home.

The right glass depends on your comfort level, home’s style, budget and more. Find out more by contacting Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090.

Three Benefits of Glass Shower Enclosures

If you want to give your bathroom a makeover without remodeling the entire space, you should consider installing a glass shower enclosure. Today’s glass shower is a far cry from the mottled, opaque glass and metal edged shower from the past few decades. You have options for shapes and hardware for a custom look. Here are three more reasons why glass showers are a smart investment for your home.

Low Maintenance

Glass shower enclosures are durable and easy to clean. You are less likely to have a buildup of mold or mildew, and you can even put a protective coating on your glass to reduce soap scum or water spots. Glass showers are well-constructed and should require few repairs, if any.

Make Your Bathroom Look More Open

With a glass shower enclosure, your bathroom can have a more open feel. You may find your room looks bigger than ever without a closed off partition. In addition, a glass shower enclosure can allow better air flow over a traditional curtain or metal framed shower stall.

Showcase Your Stylish Fixtures

Have you paired your glass shower with beautiful tile work or a unique shower head? Your entire bathroom may look like a showroom after your shower enclosure adds a designer touch to the space.

Your bathroom can become your own spa retreat with the installation of a glass shower enclosure. If you would like to know more about the benefits of glass showers, contact Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090.

Five Reasons to Choose Energy-Efficient Windows

If you are looking for ways to improve the look and feel of your home, energy-efficient windows may be the key. Here are five reasons why energy-efficient windows are the right choice for your home.

1. Less Condensation on Windows

It can be devastating to your window casings when condensation builds up and pools at the base of windows. Energy-efficient windows may reduce the condensation that builds up on windows, helping your casements to last longer and stay stronger.

2. Preserve Your Furnishings

With their improved solar blockage, energy-efficient windows may help prevent the fading of drapes, carpets and couches.

3. Better Light

Along with blocking UV rays that can fade furniture, energy-efficient windows are made with less tinting. Less tinting means that you can have a better and more natural view of the world outside your window.

4. Cozier Spaces

Rooms without cold drafts are cozier and more comfortable, and thus more likely to be enjoyed by the whole family.

5. Energy Savings

Energy-efficient windows may help to lower your home’s heating and cooling costs, as they are better insulated and may help prevent hot or cold from escaping or coming in from the outside.

Energy-efficient windows can help make your home the cozy, welcoming and economically spaced like you’ve always dreamed about. To learn more about why you should choose energy efficient windows, contact Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090.

Benefits of Using Tempered Glass

Tempered glass, also known as toughened glass, is chosen because of its strength and durability. It is produced through heat and chemical processes which increase its structural stability, substantially decreasing the risk of breakage and potential for injury.

Increased Safety

Tempered glass can be anywhere from three to seven times as strong as standard or annealed glass, making it ideal for any instances with load-bearing potential such as vehicle windshields and sliding doors and is frequently used in public features such as bus terminals. In the case that tempered glass does break, instead of sharp, jagged pieces, it instead breaks down into small, rounded pebble-like chunks which are far less likely to cut or cause injury.

Easy to Clean

When enough force has been applied to cause breakage, the glass that has been toughened through these processes responds by crumbling rather than splintering. Whether the broken product is a dish or a windshield, the result is a much easier and faster to clean up than that of standard glass.

Why Choose Tempered Glass

Toughened glass products offer the highest levels of safety for the most economical price. In the best case scenario, it offers increased protection and a straightforward cleanup, and in the most extreme case, it can prevent significant injury or even death. Contact Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090 to learn more about the benefits of using tempered glass.

The Importance of Replacing Your Damaged Windshield

Your windshield protects you in case of an accident. It may start to crack over time if it comes into contact with anything or from poor maintenance. When the crack becomes substantial, you are going to have to replace the entire thing for your own benefit and here are a couple of reasons why.

Maintain a Clear View

Being able to see everything around you is one of the most critical components to driving safely. If anything happens that prevents you from seeing clearly what is in front of you or directly to your sides, then you need to remedy the situation. A crack in your windshield definitely qualifies as an obstruction, especially if it encompasses a large portion of the glass.

Greater Risk of Breaking Completely

A chip or crack may not seem like much. You may even be able to see perfectly fine. However, that damage is only going to worsen as time goes on. If something hits your windshield just right or if you get into an accident, then it is entirely possible the entire windshield is going to break. All that shattered glass will put you and your passengers at risk.

When your car needs a little care, bring it to us right away to have it replaced. Contact Concord Glass today at 925-691-5090.

Tips for Replacing Your Windows

Replacing the windows in a home can make your home look beautiful again. Before you decide to take on such big job, you may want to be certain that you absolutely need to have them replaced. For the best outcome, you should call a professional to get your windows replaced.

Broken Windows: Depending on the extent of the damage and the type of window you have, it may be more cost efficient to replace the window. However, if the damage is only to one pane and the window is a more expensive window, it may be easier to get the glass repaired.

Lead Danger: This isn’t an issue for homes built after 1978 because the federal government banned the use of lead-based paints in homes. However, in houses built prior to that, especially those built before 1960, lead paint was commonly used. For windows, the constant opening and closing can release lead dust.

Rotting Frame: When there is visible water damage to the frame, the window is vulnerable to rot and should be replaced right away. Water damage can occur from storms or from more structural damage. Before replacing, you should make sure that the underlying cause is not recurrent.

Do you need a sure way to know when to get your windows replaced? Call the experts at Concord & Antioch Glass, Inc. for window replacement.